All Part of the Plan
by Ootori Tatsu
Summary: Megatron can't understand his second. Starscream's outbursts are actually a style of Seeker courting. MTxSS Updates every Sunday. Rating may go up.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

Alright, let's get a few things straight so you aren't yelling at me through the comments as the story progresses.

1) I hate this pairing but felt I needed to write this just because. Also, you can blame The-Spoon-Of-Doom for posting her amazing tales which loaded the final straw that broke the turbo camel's back.

2) The only time I write up Megatron he's a total douche and I justify doing it because I hate him. (All Hail Lord Starscream!)

3) I think, in my Primus honest truth, this story will absolutely blow.

And with that this author's note is finished. P.S. I don't have a beta for this fan base so if you want to preview my crap for me it would be greatly appreciated.

Chapter 1

Megatron-

"I've had it! I'm going to offline that sorry excuse for a soldier this time for sure." I yell after losing my patience in waiting for Starscream to show up. I'm surprised when I'm intercepted by Soundwave.

"Pleading: Do not be so rash." He beseeches me and I lift an optic ridge.

"Since when were you friends with Starscream?" I ask suspiciously. Starscream was a scientist and however unlikely it seemed he could have over written areas in Soundwave's processor. "Did he reprogram you?"

"Negative. Soundwave: Concerned about general well being of Decepticons as a whole. Offlined Starscream: One less Decepticon, impaired seeker control, disrupts elite trine." I listen to Soundwave's reasons and sit back down. At least no one else was in the Command Center to call me on backing down.

"Then what do you suppose I do?"

"Suggestion: Understand him?"

"... He's been giving you some of his rations hasn't he?"

"Begrudging: Yes."

"If that idiot expects thinks he can control you with a few extra cubes he'll be harshly disappointed with one of my servos lodged into his faceplates."

"Starscream: Does not desire control over Soundwave. Seeker programming: Requires that creations are well taken care of. Starscream: Only gives away his rations in secret when no one looks, afraid of losing reputation."

I lean back and sigh. "Well, like it or not I'm going to blow his aft into non existence if he keeps going like he does."

Soundwave is quiet for awhile before speaking up again. "Megatron: Could try to understand Starscream." He repeats. "Perhaps find out why he acts the way he does. Records: Reveal Starscream abruptly changed behavior halfway into the war. Records: Do not reveal what the cause of change was."

"Fine. Tell me what I have to do."

"Query: Perhaps talking?" I sigh again. Oh yes, talking went so well with Starscream. Well, at least it used to. Back before he was my second in command we would sit for long joors talking about everything and nothing, whatever floated through our processors. Back before he turned traitorous and started to try to kill me.

"I highly doubt he'll want to talk. How am I supposed to... ugh! Even I can tell that this is utterly hopeless."

"Skywarp: Could figure out a way to get Starscream to converse with you."

"Why Skywarp, why not Thundercracker?"

"Skywarp: Most open seeker out of the two trines. More likely to break seeker code. Also, he knows Starscream just as well as Thundercracker." Getting up I head for the door.

"This better work or I'm slagging him anyway." I call over my shoulder as I open the door. Marching down the hall and two flights of stairs I make my way to Thundercracker and Skywarp's quarters. Hopefully the violet seeker would be alone which would make my task far easier.

Punching in the override code the door flies up and I see Skywarp warp into his rooms giggling like a mischievous fourteen year old human girl. "Skywarp." He immediately stops laughing and shoves something behind his back, no doubt caught in the middle of a prank. It appeared to be Hook's favorite blow torch. Perhaps I could exploit this.

"Mighty Lord Megatron! What brings you down this way?" He asks nervously as I step in, allowing the door to shut behind me.

"I've come for advice of sorts. Tell me, how do I make Starscream talk?" The violet seeker stares at me strangely.

"If you mean you want to extract important information from him then you can try elsewhere. I might be a lot of things Lord Megatron but I am not treasonous." I narrow my optics.

"Explain how you would be treasonous." I say without humor, claiming the seat at the desk.

"Giving away any information that might result in damage to my trine leader is punishable by death in any Vos court. Not only would I be sentenced but TC as well."

"And if I ordered you to?"

"If I survive the war I'd probably attempt suicide rather than return to Vos."

"I could kill you now for refusal." I reply, placing my digits together and lower my helm to appear menacing.

Skywarp takes a shaky sigh. "Do you intend to kill him?"

"Not initially. Soundwave predicts it will be... Detrimental to the Decepticons as a whole."

"…Well, the easiest way to get him to talk about anything you want to know is to get him drunk off his aft. But be careful, he becomes way overly emotional. You can't tell him I told you though." I get up, now having the means to loosen my second's lip components. "Or you could frag him till he can't walk straight. Overload screws with his processor." I wave the second suggestion off. As I walk out he stops me. "Hey, do I get anything out of this?"

"Why yes, I won't tell Hook you stole his blow torch. In fact I think I'll just forget I even talked to you." The door closes after me and I walk to my quarters. As I pass Starscream's quarters I stop to listen. Usually I could hear all sorts of clattering and tinkering but it was silent. He was probably in the Mess Hall.

Arriving at my quarters I remove one of the wall panels and select two cubes of heavily energized high grade. I could go through three before feeling fuzzy. Starscream, who I never saw drink anything other than base grade would probably be flattened after just one.

Subspacing my cubes I replace the wall panel and walk out. Sure enough my second was in what had become his corner of the Mess Hall. Only six other Decepticons were there as well, the others off on patrol, in their quarters, or doing their shifts in whatever section of the base they were located.

As I watch my second lifts a data pad, squints at it, and flips it every which way, sticking out his glossa as he did so which made him look quite endearing. He doesn't even look up at my approach, being so absorbed by frantically sketching out blue prints with a stylus. A slight cough grants me his attention. "Ah!" He jumps, trying to catch the stylus but fails as it falls to the table. "What do you want?" He sneers at me. I bite the inside of my lip component, willing myself not to strike him.

"If you're not busy I would like to have a talk with you." He opens his mouth to say he was busy when I push the data pad to the side. I pull the high grade from my subspace and place a cube in front of him. He gives it a raised optic before turning it every which way then tapping lightly at the table.

"I have to decline, I don't drink high grade." He finally says after I take a sip from mine. I noticed he watched me closely as I did so. Paranoid little slagger thought I poisoned it no doubt. Sighing I switch our cubes, pushing my previous cube closer to him.

"Its fine, only a little bit over basic." I lie and he finally takes a swig. I doubt he even noticed it was overcharged.

"Alright, I know I've done something. Some horrible mistake or mishap. What did I do?" He asks as he slowly slides the cube between his servos, taking a drink every now and then.

"Other than not bothering to show up for a meeting this morning nothing." Surprisingly he swears and puts his helm in his servos repeating the word 'stupid'. He wasn't even halfway through his cube; no way could he be over energized already.

"That was this morning? I am so dead." Did he even remember who he was talking to? "Ah, Megatron probably wants to offline me." Apparently he didn't.

"I don't know about offline you." I say carefully, unsure of where he was going to jump.

"He's had it out for me ever since I became his second. He just likes to toy with me." He mutters, placing his servos between his thighs and pouting at the high grade, making himself look very childish.

"What makes you say that? From what I see you're the one who has it out for him." His helm snaps up and his lower lip component starts to wobble.

"Does it really look that way? But he started it!" Here's probably where the emotionality kicked in. Thankfully the other cons had vacated the room and we were alone.

"And how did I- he start it?" I ask, trying to cover my slip up. He didn't seem to notice.

Starscream sighs. "Oh he probably forgot. It was shortly after I became second in command. We lost a battle and I tried to joke with him and tell him we'd do better next time. He hit me." I try to remember the situation he was talking about. "I got angry and said I hated him." He chokes out the last part and places his face in his servos, starting to cry.

"You don't hate him then?" In the back of my processor I decide I would never, in any circumstance, do this again. A drunk Starscream was more than I could handle.

"Nooooo." He wails quietly. "He probably only thinks I do because I'm trying to get his attention."

"Have you ever tried trying something reasonable?" Starscream looks up and swipes at his cheek plates.

"Yeah, he just blew me off. Why am I so stupid?" I had never heard him freely call himself stupid so many times. He collapses onto the table again and sighs. I glance over at our forgotten cubes. "I figured since Megatron took to beating me that he'd prefer a more violent approach." He sniffs dejectedly. He picks himself back up and let's out a puff of air.

"I'm just going to stop trying. Nothing I do is good enough for him. I doubt even building him an upgraded fusion canon would do anything for me other than get blasted away with it."

"Upgraded fusion canon?" I ask and he holds up the data pad, waving it at me.

"The blue prints are on here but I doubt he'll even want to see them."

"Can _I_ see them?" He hands over the data pad, dragging his cube back over and tracing a digit around the rim. Flicking the data pad on I quickly look over the blue prints.

"Please don't tell him. I don't want to look stupid. Never mind, I look stupid doing anything for him anyway. Not to mention he'll probably accuse me of trying to pull something on him." Skywarp could have also told me he was a self degrading drunk as well.

"... I think you should do it anyway. Megatron will come to his senses eventually." I say after awhile.

"This _is_ Megatron we're talking about. Megatron is the most close minded mech I've ever met. He doesn't look at the past. I doubt he knows if the first time I shot him was a complete accident." Now that was something I remembered quite clearly. In that battle I had almost managed to rip Optimus' helm off when I was shot in the back by Starscream's null ray.

"How was that an accident?" I scoff.

"Jazz ran around taunting me and jumped out of the way at the last second." He gets up, wobbling a little. "Well, I better go to my doom now. I missed a meeting this morning so he probably wants to kill me. Oh well, at least my last moments were spent in good company... um…" He waits for me to give him a name.

"Ah Steve... the Vehicon." I choose one of the drone forms and he pats me on the shoulder plate.

"Thanks for listening Steve. You're a good mech even though you have a weird name." He ambles away but before he can reach the door he trips. Sighing I grab the two cubes and subspace them then walk over to my second's prone form.

"Hey, Starscream." I tip him over with a ped to find he had dropped into recharge mid step. Sighing I prepare to comm. someone to come pick him up off the floor before he was trampled when I hear a sharp intake of air from the doorway. Glancing up I meet Thundercracker's optics. "Ah Thundercracker, it appears Starscream overenergized, escort him back to his quarters will you?" I could almost smell the waves of confusion Thundercracker was exhibiting as I walked past, no doubt questions flying around in his processor.

A/N

I plan on updating this weekly so look for a new chapter every Sunday.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Is it just me or has this week been extra long?

_Review Reply_

**Anonybot: **I personally like to believe that Starscream has a _really_ hard time holding his alcohol. Plus when I get drunk I manage to forget who I'm talking to.

**Reader: ***gigglesnort*

**The-Spoon-Of-Doom: **Yay, you reviewed! I tried to make a drunk that wasn't used in any other stories I read. So I figured I'd take the type of drunk I was and make him even loopier. And I think the Steve the vehicon joke should be used more.

**Autobot Firekat:** Glad you're enjoying yourself so far.

**Fliara48: **I know what you mean about the whole getting thrown off. And I'm glad you like it.

**Corona 1: **Glad you like it as well.

_P.S._ I still think this story is crap but that's just me and my hate for Megatron talking.

Chapter 2

As I head back to my quarters a forgotten memory slips up in my processor. It was about a few earth weeks after Starscream had become second in command. One of our raids on the Autobots had resulted in a loss on our side. I had been particularly angry on that occasion, mostly at Prime.

Starscream and I had been the only ones in the Command Center. I could almost hear him say the words he had said that day. "I think I managed to get more bots then you did Megatron. Oh well, we always have next time." He had laughed quietly, a soothing sound. But his comment had made me snap and I had punched him straight in the faceplates then kicked him over when he tried to get up. He looked at me with fear which quickly turned to anger. He had told me he hated me. I hadn't cared.

Right after that Starscream had taken a dramatic change in personality. He no longer offered me smiles, no longer tried to soothe me when we lost a fight, and had ceased trying to have friendly conversations with me. Instead he insulted me every chance he got, redirected any of my anger to him, and had started trying to offline me.

Sighing I sit down at my personal desk and start filtering through all the plans that were sure to fail. Maybe I could salvage something in the morning. Maybe.

-0-

"Starscream?" I ask hesitantly into the comm. link I kept specifically for my top officers. A hiss follows my words.

"Ugh, yeah, what do you want?" Comes the snarky reply.

"I want you in my quarters within the joor." A sigh follows.

"... Okay." The comm. goes quiet and I lean back in my chair, looking once again at the plans in front of me. Not even twenty klicks later he was knocking on my door.

"Come in." The door slides open to reveal my second who looks at me blankly but slowly winces. I wave him over and he looks at me suspiciously but trundles over anyway. "I want you to take a look at this plan, analyze it, and fix it." He looks at the data pad then up at me.

"Why?" I glare up at him.

"Because it's your job. Also, the Constructicons have been complaining about not having anything to do. I know you have some sort of schematic lying around somewhere that you can give them." He looks at me blankly then starts poking himself in the forehead. "Now what are doing?"

"Making sure I didn't die last night and I'm not currently in the Pit about to be fooled and embarrassed."

"You're an idiot. Get going. I want that plan back by the end of the day." This got me a scowl but he leaves anyway. He must have been pleased due to the lack of insults.

Starscream-

Primus this morning was strange. First it started with me waking up with vague memories of conversing with a vehicon with the odd human-like designation of Steve who, I was under the impression of, was a delicious shade of silvery grey with touches of red and black. Then Megatron calls me into his quarters and forces battle plans and projects on me.

Currently I was sitting at my preferred monitor in the Command Center, already having worked out the battle plan and threw something at the Constructicons. As I watch the monitor I let my thoughts wander back to Steve. I would search him out. He seemed like someone who would understand me. Besides, there was nothing shameful in liking a drone.

And if I was going to try to court him I would do it in seeker fashion rather than the ground pounder fashion I had tried earlier with Megatron which had turned into seeker fashion after he struck a blow on me.

The mech that usually had my attention consumed, Megatron, didn't seem worth the thought process anymore. After all, he didn't respect me, never would respect me. And if he didn't respect me then I couldn't possibly hope to court him.

Once my shift was over I hand Megatron my data pad on the battle plan and headed to where the drones hung out for the most part; the Rec. Room. Of course the place went absolutely quiet when I stepped in and I quickly scanned over the drones. None of them had the paint job I was looking for. Shrugging I exit the room again and go about patrolling the base. Maybe, if I was lucky, I'd manage to find Steve.

Finally getting fed up I return to where I had first met him, the Mess Hall. By now it had gotten late and no one was there. Grabbing a cube I sit down at my table and wait patiently. Long after I finished my cube I decided I'd try for tomorrow after a good recharge with Megatron pushed out of my processor for once in my joining the Decepticons.

-0-

I try to stop myself from running as I make my way to the Mess Hall and quickly collect my cube for the morning. Moving to my table I try to not make it obvious that I was scanning all the mechs there. Yet again my efforts go unrewarded. Sinking into my seat with a sigh I complacently watch the crowd. I didn't have a morning shift to go to, I had plenty of time to just sit here in hopes of meeting the elusive Steve. As I twirl my empty cube around in my servos I begin to wonder just how I had met Steve, everything was so fuzzy.

Finally giving up I prepare to push myself up when a flash of grey paint catches my optics. Finding that my target was Megatron I shake my head and prepare to leave but get called back as I reach the door.

"Starscream. I want you to review a few more plans later." Megatron states as I turn around. I felt all optics turned on me, waiting for my usual reaction of 'Frag you, I'll do as I please.'

"Of course Lord Megatron." I say with a bow, no sarcasm in my voice at all. The entire room bursts into upset murmuring. Making my way to my afternoon shift I walk into Soundwave. "Ah, Soundwave. I've left you three cubes today, I wasn't very hungry, too anxious I guess." Soundwave watches me as I walk past and I feel his presence slide over my processor like water sliding across oil. I knew he was able to pick up my thoughts of Steve but I blew it off.

Sitting back down at the console I impassively watch the monitor.

Megatron-

"Report: Starscream acting strangely. Megatron: Spoke to him?" Soundwave asks as the last con files out of the room.

"I did. One of the oddest experiences I've had with him by far. I know you tried to read him, any success?" I ask back as I slump in my throne.

"Starscream: Anticipating an audience with a drone. Drone's designation: Steve. Starscream's feelings towards Steve: Affection, attraction, companionship, trusting. Note: There are no drones in the Decepticons with the designation of Steve."

Steve? Where had I heard that name before? It had been used recently, I knew that. Oh slag, Starscream was under the impression that a Steve existed because that's the cover I had opted for. "What happens when he finds out that Steve doesn't exist, that he's a fictional character made up at the spur of the moment?" I can tell by my TiC's silence that he was working out the scenarios.

"Scenario 1: Starscream accepts it with a small fit. Scenario 2: Starscream becomes delusional and thinks you are lying just to wind him up. Scenario 3: Starscream goes into a state of mental shock. Note: This will only occur if the ruse is sustained. Scenario 4: Starscream becomes overwhelmed with anger. Possible outcome: Kills a fellow Decepticon, tries to kill you, and or defects. Scenario 5-" I hold a servo up to stop him. The only course of action was to tell Starscream that Steve wasn't real. However that might return him to his defiant, traitorous attitude if everything rested on this Steve existing.

"Can we build a drone? The Autobots built the Dinobots."

"Inadvisable: The drone would have no memory of Starscream's conversation." Sighing I get up and prepare to seek out my SiC. "Starscream: Located in Mess Hall."

Walking in that direction I listen to the hushed chatter of the bots I walked past. "Been in there all day..." One said. "He's acting really odd. Do you think anything is going around?" Another asked. "Starscream has to be up to something..." "He's never so quiet..." "Wouldn't even leave with Warp and TC..."

Leaving the chatter behind me I walk into the Mess Hall to indeed find the red seeker slumped in his chair, moving an empty cub in his servo. From here he looked like he was talking to it but as I moved closer I could tell he was singing one of the human's songs. "I see the stars in black and white... I pray to god most every night..."

Tapping my digit on the table he fumbles with the glass cube and drops it then looks up. "Sorry Lord Megatron, did I do anything wrong?" This was unsettling. One or two days of a compliant Starscream I could take. It was now pushing on four earth days and he was making me paranoid. Not to mention he never apologized to me.

"No. You appear to be waiting for someone or something." His optics light up.

"I suppose it is obvious. How low you must think of me for freely admitting I'm attracted to a drone. I met him here four cycles ago but I've yet to see him again." With a sigh I sit down across from him.

"Starscream, Steve doesn't exist." Starscream raises an optic ridge at me.

"I don't know what game you're playing but I don't appreciate it. I've done nothing to provoke you but you come in here spouting lies. I know Steve is real because I talked to him."

"No you didn't."

"No, I know I did. He even looked at the blueprints for some of the plans I had. He must still have the data pad because I can't find it anywhere and I _always_ keep my quarters orderly." I knew exactly what data pad he was talking about; I had it lying around back in my quarters.

"Starscream, I have the data pad." This elicits a shocked gasp from my second as he stares at me.

"I can't believe you!" He stands up and jabs a digit in my direction, optics angry and clearly upset. "You stoop so low as to STEAL from drones? Hard to believe I was ever attracted to you." He throws up his servos and marches off. He had been _attracted_ to me? My comm. beeps and I answer it.

"Scenario 5: Starscream becomes delusional then angry, refuses to accept reasoning, and leaves in a fit." I growl through the comm. link and Soundwave hangs up. 

So now I had a TiC who decided he needed the last word and an even more delusional SiC.? As I tap on the table I wonder if Prime ever had problems like this.

A/N Hope everyone enjoyed this week's installment. See everyone next Sunday with the next installment.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Now the week felt too short…

_Review Reply_

**Autobot Firekat: **Those SiCs and TiCs are so silly aren't they?

**Sideslip:** If you liked that last line then you'll probably like angry Jazz here.

**Flowing Tears: **YOU REVIEWED TWICE! And I also noticed you did first review on Fall Out Wasteland!

_R1_: Glad I could make you laugh even before the story started. I'll tell you this, all you have to do is think like the character you need to write and then it won't be too hard. I try to make it so it isn't so hard to read. I hate it when I have to read over something I've written which I found too in depth (in my opinion) considering I have to basically beta all my stories. I think the reason all vehicons in TF:Prime are named Steve is because Starscream got to name them and he used his voice actors first name. And I think of Megatron as simple minded enough to where he doesn't get caught up in his imagination.

_R2_: Glad you enjoyed last week's installment. And since I think Megatron is an idiot that is kinda how I wrote him. I try to keep all my stories different from anything I've written or read. Sometimes I'll pick up ideas on a few of the ones I've read but I'm always sure to see if it's okay with the other author as well. Don't you know? Megs can't fix anything, that gets thrown over to Starscream and Soundwave. Long reply is long.

**Fliara48: **I wasn't really aiming for a great story here anyway. And everyone loves Steve! And I love a snarky Soundwave.

**Haluwasa2: G**lad you enjoyed it.

**Malto Alesato: **Once again, everyone LOVES Steve!

Chapter 3

"You're impossible Jazz." The Autobot SiC says to the Autobot TiC, Currently the two were in the middle of a heated argument on the battlefield which proved distracting to not only me but Optimus as well.

"No, the impossible one here is YOU!" The racing porche shouts back. With a huff Jazz walks over to where Optimus and I were grappling. He ignores us completely and stalks under our arms. As he went I could hear muttered curses.

"Sometimes I envy you Megatron." Optimus says as we return to trying to shove each other off balance.

"How so?" I grunt in reply.

"At least you know how your troops would act to certain situations." He replies.

"Not even. Lately everything seems to be flipped upside down." Speaking of flipping things upside down I manage to kick Prime's legs out from under him and flip him onto his back. Every now and then we managed to have a civil conversation while trying to bash each others processors out.

"I doubt anything can be worse than the stupid lover's spat between Prowl and Jazz. I swear my third's been having eratical mood swings."

"What are they fighting about anyway?"

"Something about Prowl being angry for Jazz not turning in reports. Jazz claims that he puts too much work on him and that he doesn't spend enough time with him."

"Yeah, well my third decided he'd be somewhat cocky lately while my second became completely obedient but even more delusional than usual." With a shove Optimus manages to shove me off. He takes a quick glance around, favoring a side. He had lost this fight.

"Autotbots retreat!" I allow them to do just that while my Decepticons let out a cheer. It had seemed like forever ago that we had actually won a fight.

"Starscream, report." I call.

"Energon secured and waiting for transport." He reports back.

"Good, come walk with me." A moment later the red jet lands lightly and gracefully onto the ground next to me and I find myself watching him closely. Now that I wasn't concerned with him trying to kill me I found his appearance… enticing.

"You called for me?" He asks impassively. Hopefully Soundwave had done what I asked.

"I just wanted you nearby. Soundwave? Any casualties?" I call out to my TiC.

"Negative."

"Megatron, I'm not stupid. I know for a fact that you hate my company so what do you want?" Starscream asks after awhile.

"Well, if you want to talk about something let's talk about your increasing delusional aspects. Such as how you've managed to convince yourself Steve is real." Starscream glances away.

"You were right, I checked the databases and Steve doesn't exist. Now if that's all you wanted I need to go. We do have some Decepticon seekers coming in from one of our fringe bases." I let him walk away. This was the first time I had heard about new seekers. Was Starscream back to his old tricks or had I just overlooked it from a report. Soundwave would know.

"Soundwave, do you know anything about another trine of seekers flying in?" I ask into my comm. link. A moment later he gets back to me.

"Affirmative. Seeker trine: Templars. Shockwave: Sent them out here to assist with fighting Autobots." He goes silent and I let out a sigh. So Starscream wasn't going behind my back so why was I feeling disappointed? Did I want him to start picking fights with me again?

Turning I notice my troops were waiting for my orders to pull out. Even Starscream was still here, not having flown away at first chance. Although when he turned my way his eyes flickered and he swung around fast, putting his back to me.

"Alright Decepticons, head back." Immediately Starscream jets into the air but hovers, waiting for the others to rise up as well. He even kept near the rear, guarding it, while we flew back to base.

-0-

Starscream-

After a human month everything had gone back to as it had before. I refused to follow orders, Megatron beat me for nearly every failure. Currently I was standing as far as I dared away from him on the landing pad, shooting sneers at him whenever I knew he looked. The new seeker trine was coming in from one of the outposts near Cybertron today. As second in command I was required to be there.

Three jets speed towards our location, already disguised as the earth vehicles. The orange and grey one landed first closely followed by a white one with black detail and a light blue wing stripe. They transform on the landing pad before the final one touched down, probably their leader. With a graceful flourish the black and chrome with red details seeker lands gently on their peds. As the leader steps forward I note a strange occurrence. This seeker was clearly a femme while the other two were clearly mechs. Tradition called for mech only or femme only trines.

As she continues to walk forward I notice her optics sliding over to me and a smile tug at her lip components. "Lord Megatron. Templar seeker trine from the outpost near Illaria."

"Designations." Megatron orders. He was in one of those no nonsense moods.

"I am Skyseam. My right wing mate is Freefall and my left wing mate is Cloudstrutter." Megatron takes one look at her then looks over her shoulder plate at her trine mates. With a rude shove he slides the femme to the side to address the white seeker. Skyseam didn't take this too well. "I beg your pardon but I am leader of this trine and I will be treated with the due respects!" She shouts at his back. Megatron turns back to her.

"A femme? Leading? Don't be ridiculous." She snarls very much like the organic creature known as a dog and prepares to launch herself at Megatron. I catch the edge of her wing carefully and pull her down.

"Don't. You'll only regret it." I hiss at her and she stops struggling.

"It's alright, just someone else I have to prove myself to. By the way." She reaches over and lightly smacks me with a coy grin. Smirking back at her I punch her arm.

"You are dismissed, all of you." Megatron calls out. Skyseam and I look over to find him looking back. "And keep the fighting to a minimum." With that he stalks off. While I was busy glaring at his retreating backside Skyseam leans over and savagely flicks my wing. 

A/N

Some of my readers *cough JAMA16 cough* coming back to read my stories will know Skyseam and her trine which I first featured in Peaceful Chaos (most of you won't care to read it because it's Optimus Prime X Starscream, my tf otp :])

Well, I guess this means I'll see you all next week. Remember, reviews are love. 


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

Megatron-

I had shoved off the new trine leader on purpose, intending to make her angry. I liked to gauge my subordinates' limitations. Apparently this femme seeker reacted far faster and angrier than Starscream. I didn't even really discuss anything with Freefall.

Even after I had warned the two idiot fliers the fighting had escalated. Right now I was sitting in the mess hall while the two squabbled at each other from across tables. "What do you have in that processor of yours, rocks?" Skyseam calls out.

"Better than an empty helm such as the one sitting on your shoulders!" Starscream shouts back. Out of the corner of my optic I see Thrust begin to get up, Dirge and Ramjet trying to pull him back down.

"I think someone forgot to install maneuvering circuits into your systems, you have all the grace of a ground mech who thought he could fly using a jet pack!"

"At least I'm nowhere near as slow as your lazy aft!"

"You think you got enough red paint to be labeled an Autobot?"

"Is that paint black or did you just get scorched?"

"ENOUGH! Sit down, shut up, and drink your energon! After you finish go about your business AWAY from each other!" I bellow. This cowed Skyseam into trying to make herself smaller while Starscream scowled at me. What the frag was his problem?

Skyseam was the first of the two to leave, rushing off to take care of cleaning duty which she had with one of the Constructicons. Starscream's trine mates scoot closer into the table and begin talking to him in hushed whispers.

Getting up I head out, heading back to my chambers to work more on some plans. Maybe that was it. Ever since Starscream and Skyseam had started fighting I had refused to let him check over the plans which, like it or not, lead to more failures. Sighing I glance up to see the black seekress engaging in a conversation with Soundwave, petting Lazerbeak on the helm absentmindedly while she lightly taunted the navy mech. What surprised me was Soundwave insulted her back a little, amusement creeping into his usually flat voice.

"Skyseam, get to work!" I yell at her as I stomp past and she holds out Lazerbeak with a sullen expression, almost like I had kicked a cyber puppy. I watch her move off before heading my own way again. I was going to have to find some way of punishing her for insubordination and refusal to get along with the other soldiers, particularly her superiors.

Starscream-

"But what about Megatron?" Skywarp asks, pouting a bit.

"I still left that door open but I'm aiming for more options, besides, I don't actually enjoy being beaten around the base. I've already tried going about this in the style he'd be more familiar with but he never noticed. It's a wonder I didn't open up more options before." Skywarp thrums his digits on the table top as I speak, ticking off Thundercraker.

"Warp, stop it." He demands as he places his servos over his bond mate's firmly. "I think your right Starscream; you should have been bonded already. You're how old now?"

"Three hundred and eighty seven vorns." I reply. Warp lets out a whistle.

"Dude, you've been waiting, like, forever." I knew what he meant. Seekers usually spark bonded shortly after their two hundredth vorn. TC and Warp had jumped the gun a little and bonded at around a hundred and ninety.

"Skyseam has been waiting just as long. Freefall and Cloudstrutter say she's very picky and doesn't go for just about anyone. But maybe I shouldn't go with her; she's bound to have to go back to the outpost." Just as I finish speaking a red servo bangs flat on our table.

Glancing up I notice Thrust. What did this fragger want now? "I'm butting in you got that? So stay away from Skyseam, she's mine." He growls possessively. I raise an optic ridge and glance up and down his frame once before snorting.

"A conehead? No, something tells me she would find someone even as one dimensional as Soundwave a better catch then you. Now go away before you irritate me more." He grips my wing roughly and I wince right before turning my null rays up as high as they'd go and shooting him straight in the abdomen.

His frame smokes as it instantly heats up from his fans shutting down and he collapses backwards, falling into immediate stasis lock. Standing up I step over the downed conehead and start walking away. "I'll catch up with you two later. I intend to make myself busy." 

Megatron-

Currently Skyseam had taken up a shift in the Command Center, opting to work longer rather than relax like her trine mates chose to do after their long flight here. I wouldn't have had a problem with the femme if Starscream wasn't in the same room.

Currently they were shouting at each other, tossing insults back and forth, and arguing about nothing in particular. Again. After two joors of it I'm relieved when Starscream's shift ends. Hopefully whatever it was they had between them would be fixed quickly otherwise I was going to slag them both.

-0-

Walking into the Command Center I barely register the warning to duck. Doing so I watch as a chair flies over my helm and into the door. Apparently it was Skyseam who threw it seeing as she was near the work station she had occupied earlier and had no chair next to her. I stood several paces behind a crouching Starscream who tosses the insult of 'couldn't hit the broadside of a warship even if you were standing five feet from it'.

"That is it!" I shout, grabbing my second roughly and dragging him over to stand next to Skyseam. "You two have been carrying on like idiotic sparklings for the past eight cycles. You will tell me what your problem is with each other then fix it or Primus so help me I will send you BOTH to the Pit."

Skyseam looks at me with proper confusion while Starscream rolls his optics. "But I have no problems with commander Starscream." Skyseam states.

"You dumb aft. Don't you know anything?" Starscream sneers and I slam my fist into his helm, momentarily knocking him offline.

"Skyseam, carry him off to his quarters, I have no patience for him right now. Thundercraker come to my quarters by the end of the joor or the Unmaker so help me I will slag you as well as your idiot trine leader and this upstart femme!" I shout, shoving impatiently on Skyseam as she stumbled under the weight of my second to the door. Picking up the reports to review I stalk out shortly after, heading to my quarters.

Thundercracker turned up five minutes before the end of the joor, poorly disguising his discomfort. "You, in here, now!" He hesitates slightly before stepping past the threshold and the door slides closed behind him.

"Something you wanted sir?"

"Inform me on what the slag has gotten into those two imbeciles." I didn't have to mention who I was referring to.

"Are you referring to their mating rituals?" My processor goes blank.

"What?" Thundercracker releases his breath and relaxes slightly.

"Seeker programming can be confusing to outsiders so I'll try not to lose you on anything. Before procuring a mate two seekers will break into constant fighting, challenging each other, and spouting any manner of insults they can think of. The more dominant of the two, usually the tallest, initiates the second phase which is flirting. At that point all fights die down to a minimum. Note that before this stage begins an outside party can try to wrestle interest away from one of the targets. Also, any form of relationship isn't recognized until the second step so both seekers can try their tactics at procuring another mate during this." Thundercracker's words make something click in my processor. I hold up a servo to forestall any more knowledge.

"Hold on, so you mean outright defiance and fighting, is a style of flirting?" I had a sinking feeling that Starscream's behavior, which always seemed directed at me, was him trying to woo me.

"Not necessarily. It's more like stating your interest in someone. I'm surprised you're asking about all this, I mean sure Starscream told me he was hugely attracted to you, but I didn't think you'd have an interest in anything he did."

"I don't, I just want those two idiots to stop doing whatever." I say, waving a servo through the air. While the first part of that sentence was false I wasn't going to act on it. Thundercraker had said relationship which was something I didn't want.

"Well, I regret to say this but the two are exactly the same size."

"So?"

"Meaning neither one will consider themselves dominant and thus the fighting will go on until one of them is shoved from the picture."

A/N

I still thing this story is blah.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5

Megatron-

I groan and lower my helm in my servos. "Although Skyseam does show interest in Soundwave." My helm snaps up.

"Why would she be interested in someone as one dimensional as Soundwave?" I growl and Thundercracker takes a small step back.

"Scent mostly. Seekers have good olfactory sensors and more often then not the certain scent of someone attracts them. Also, I've spoken with her trine mate Freefall and he said she has a soft spot for creations of any kind."

"You may go; I need to think things over." Thundercracker tries not to look rushed but fails as he scrambles out. I activate my private comm. "Soundwave, I require your presence in my quarters."

A few moments later Soundwave walks in and stands in front of my desk. "How much do you know about Skyseam, from what you've picked up in her mind."

"Skyseam: Figured out I was telepathic, allows me to read her mind anyway. Also, I've gathered she is attracted to me after looking past insults she throws at me. Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Laserbeak: Enjoy when she visits or stops to talk. Skyseam: Likes and is friendly to all Casseticons."

"How do you feel about her?" I ask, patiently listening, I might get this resolved sooner than I had hoped. Soundwave turns his helm slightly to the side and his digits twitch.

"Reluctant reply: I can tell she doesn't mean her insults and arguments. Soundwave: Equally or more so attracted to Skyseam."

"Good." Thank Primus there was a solution to this. "Drag her attention off Starscream and start flirting with her." His helm snaps back up and even with the visor I could tell he was giving me a 'You're kidding right?' look. "Take it as an order."

"Order: Not possible. Skyseam initiated taunts with Starscream first. Skyseam would have to be deterred." Was there no way around this? I ask myself as I slump down again. Of course there was. Starscream had to only have one option left. Oh well, I could toy with my second's mind for awhile while Soundwave stole Skyseam's attention.

"Where is Starscream?"

"Starscream: In quarters."

"And Skyseam?"

"Skyseam: Walking out of the Mess Hall." Getting up I decide to head for the femme first seeing as she was closer. Dragging Soundwave behind me I pull him out into the corridor and leave him just around the bend in the corner.

I easily locate the black seekress who was being targeted by Thrust, trying to engage in a fight with her which she was simply blowing off. Shoving Thrust away I grab hold of Skyseam and ram her into the bulkhead. Several other cons rush out to find out what the commotion was, including Skywarp and Thundercracker.

"Skyseam, you will back off on Starscream. If it bothers you enough I'm more than willing to fight you, gladiatorial style." I press in close to her face plates, our olfactory sensors brushing as I hiss out my words for only us to hear. "Starscream is mine." As I say it a rush of energy explodes through my frame. I loved the implications behind that sentence and I had no clue why. I blow it off as I drop the femme to the ground. I'm not surprised to find Soundwave pulling her up as I cast one last glance over my shoulder. Time to disturb my second in command.

Starscream-

Sitting down at my private computer I let my wander on about Skyseam. I could tell she was only courting me because protocol dictated it. She tried too hard with the threats and insults and her attention was always switched over to Soundwave when he was in the room. Hopefully she would be deterred soon, I had no interest in bonding with someone who was no longer interested.

But that only lead me back to Megatron. My optics stare at the wall without seeing it, imagery of Megatron flying through my processor. Like how he walked with not only power but a certain extent of grace, how red his optics glowed when he was pleased, how his voice, no matter the situation, always made my plates shift in the most pleasing ways. Dragging myself back to reasoning I begin to tear myself down.

Megatron was a jerk who liked to demoralize his soldiers, who liked to blame me for all the problems, enjoyed it when I howled in pain. Frowning I walk my digits across my desk and glance up at the door. Almost like magic it flies up and Megatron leans on the door frame, smirking. Smirking with Megatron spelt danger.

"Busy?" He asks, smirk getting slowly getting larger. I press back further into my chair, frowning a bit more.

"Not particularly." I regret the words as soon as I utter them. Megatron pulls himself off the door frame and walks in, sauntering. He moves over to my and grabs the arms of my chair.

I find myself shrinking back further in my chair as Megatron leans forward, his face plates getting closer until we were touching olfactory sensors. I could smell Skyseam on his if only faintly, like he had recently pressed his face into hers. "Thundercracker informed me of some seeker customs earlier, he was quite helpful on the way you behave."

Knowing Megatron was only doing this to get his way as the selfish mech he was I push him away. "Don't go pulling my wing struts. You think me stupid but I know what you're doing."

"Like you knew what I was doing when I over energized you to make you talk?" I growl. So he had been Steve.

"I can see right through you this time." I shoot back. "Skyseam likes Soundwave so you deterred her from going after me so you could have some semblance of peace again in this base. You intend to toss me out as soon as Soundwave gets cozy with Seam or after you frag me once. For all your talk you still know nothing of seeker courtship."

I could tell I had hit the target, right in the center, as Megatron shoved away my pushing servos and restrained them on either side of the chair I was sitting in.

"Then tell me about your stupid courtships." He growls at me and I find myself more than happy to comply.

"Knowing you, you didn't make it past step three. Once two seekers go into the flirting stage they engage in interface. This interface can occur from anywhere to just a few joors later or an entire decacycle later. After the initial interface the two spark bond. I don't know how you idiotic ground mechs do it but there is no way in the pit I'm settling for anything less." Megatron grabs my chin and forces my face up.

"Why should I care about seeker customs? I could take you right here right now and I doubt you'd complain. After all, you are largely attracted to me." Obviously he wasn't expecting my leg to fly up and hit him in the interface panel. I make a hasty escape while he doubles over with a pained growl.

Megatron-

I was going to kill that slagging idiot in the most painful fashion I could think of. I think to myself as I double over and watch the door slide closed behind Starscream as he beat a hasty retreat. Resting in my second's personal chair I allow my thoughts to wander as I wait for the pain to subside. Not even Prime was so bold as to strike me in the interface panel.

So Starscream, against any of my initial thinking, was after an actual relationship. At least I had gotten Skyseam out of the picture but I doubted even she would bond to someone like Soundwave. I'd have to ask about his no doubt failed attempts at flirting later. By now something was niggling at the back of my processor.

Hadn't Thundercracker said the disobedience, insults, and arguments were all the starting points for the common seeker relationship? No, I would not sacrifice my personal freedom just to stop my second's annoying behavior. Letting my thoughts roam again I slowly find them going back to my second.

Usually when my thoughts turned to Starscream it was to think on how he'd try to offline me next. Now I couldn't help but think on other things such as how nice those long white legs looked, how attractive those delicate wings looked like balanced on his back, the soft curves of his faceplates and how he looked back when he used to smile at me.

Smiling, I hadn't seen him do it in so many vorns I was surprised I could actually remember what he looked like when he did it. Sure there were smirks and sneers but not a sincere smile. Maybe if he had tried flirting ground mech style back then I would have aimed for a casual relationship.

Then I began to think back to when I had first met the seeker. I had been second in command of the Decepticons and already planning an assassination on my leader when news got round that the Decepticons had managed to recruit a scientist from crystal city. Most from crystal city had chosen the Autobots while the reminder chose neutrality. It hadn't taken me long to find the lithe seeker.

I remember being surprised at how small he was, clearly just over the age limit for joining the army, maybe a bit below it. We soon became close friends, I shared my aspirations of leadership with him and he shared his hopes for equality with me as well as quite a few schematics, one of them the fusion canon I now had attached to my arm.

Back then he smiled every time he looked at me, laughed at even my poorest attempts at humor, paid attention to every word I said with the utmost attention. It was why I had chose him for my second in command. Now that I thought about it back then he hadn't smiled at anyone else, not even his trine mates, looked bored out of his processor whenever someone made a particularly good joke, and blatantly ignored anyone who attempted to talk his audios off. Slag, he had flirted with me ground mech style and I had been too stupid to see it. Well, maybe he'd still be open to try it my way. I always got what I wanted didn't I?

Satisfied with my train of thought I get up with the intent of going straight back to work. A faction didn't run itself.

A/N Next chapter is a third view from Soundwave. See y'all next Sunday.


End file.
